Response Guest Mix

Part of a thriving Manchester drum & bass scene, Ingredients Records signing, Response, is one of the latest artists to catch our attention with the recent release of ‘SOS / Control’. His music over the past three years has received support from Klute, Marcus Intalex and Fabio – and, having collaborated with ST Files and Digital, it’s fair to say that he has got off to a rosy start.

We caught up with Response to discover how he was introduced to Clive at Ingredients, the story behind his latest single, and what he’s up to next.

Your release catalogue dates back to March last year – beginning with a superb collaboration with ST Files. That’s quite an introduction onto the scene. How did you link up with Ingredients?
I’ve known ST Files for a while and I would often give him CDs to get feedback etc. He’s been a great help to me over the years, a very selfless person, albeit a City fan!

He liked Nailbomb and took the parts off me to finish and I heard no more. Quite often the case with Lee! The tune then hung around for a while until I randomly hit Clive Ingredients up on Soundcloud and he snapped it up straight away. We did the flip a few months later (Hard Times) and thankfully completed the first 12″. It’s just rolled from there really!

Your bio states that you’ve spent years perfecting your skills in the studio. How long did it take until you started to achieve the sound you envisioned?
Does it? I didn’t write that… Yeah I’ve spend many years in my studio, but perfecting isn’t the correct word. In relation to envisioning anything about my sound, I really think it’s still in development. There’s a long way to go!

I’m a big fan of your latest release – the main section of ‘SOS’ lives up to the suspense in the build-up, and ‘Control’ with its powerful, melancholic tone balances out the single nicely. What was it like putting these tracks together in the studio?
Thanks. Like all my tunes I just sit there and see what happens! Clive signed SOS straight away, which was a surprise to me as it’s a bit out there and was just a demo at the time. I do like the theatre SOS has, breakdowns are something I never usually do. Control was a pleasure to make really, just one of them tracks that just rolled out in a few hours.

There is an underlying message purveyed in ‘Control’ – one which I believe is spoken by you about the influential nature of modern technology. Can you explain a little more about this?
Yeah, I do believe that we are getting too reliant on computers. Guess that’s nothing new though! As Control states, it we want to buy something where do we go first… the internet to garner opinion. We believe these opinions are from other humans, they might be but it won’t be long till the recommendations are made by the ‘machine’. I.e the machine is telling us what to buy… yes were under control. This is only going to get worse.

As a race we just stare at screens, kids just stare at screens, friends sit in the same room and just stare at screens. These ‘machines’ have control over us already, they are gathering information on us all… Skynet is coming….Yeah I’m a big Terminator fan!

I’ve noticed that several of your track titles follow a similar suit with the theme of ‘Control’ – ‘Resistance’ and ‘Surveillance’ to name a couple. I don’t usually look so deeply into titles, but there seems to be some potency to yours. Is there more of a message behind them?
Na, that’s not intentional. Control and Resistance are called that because of the vocals used. Surveillance was called that because I’d just watched a film of the same name.

Do you have any more releases lined up for the near future?
Dekadenz / Faze 1 on FRESH 86 – in early October (vinyl only), Garrison Law / Different Style on V Records – with Digital & Spirit, EP on Ingredients in December and Come Close / Green Inferno (as Ego Scene) on Horrific Recordings early next year (vinyl only).

As for events, where can we catch you DJing over the next few months?
Fabric on 26th September for Ingredients 5th Birthday

Any final words?
Thanks for the interview, for the support anyone out there has given me and big shout to Clive Ingredients for taking a punt on me.